Fluid pump



Oct. 26, 1937. B. A. LINDERMAN l FLUID PUMP Filed Feb. 4, 1936 2 Sheets-Shedl 2 Patented Oct. 26, 1937 o FLUID Poivrev i Y Bert A. Linderman, Homestead-, F1a.

4The present invention relates to fluid pumps designed and intended for use in supplying fluid under. pressure for'all purposes. Itis, however, particularly useful when applied to a motorve- 5 hicle VandLutilized. to place'under substantialpressurea body ofiluid,y such asoil,` the iluid under pressure being made. use of in actuating the vehiclebrakes when directed by the operator into a vbrake operatingmechanism ofthe fluid energized type.

Many types of fluid pumps have heretofore been designedland suggestedfcr general and particular uses and; certain of such pumps have been employed from time to time for the special purpose of providing a Vsupply of fluid under substantial pressure, Vwhich fluid may be utilized by the driver of a motor vehicle, Vor the operator of someV other type of machine, to conveniently and quickly apply al force at a relatively distant point but under the operators close control. Of such pumps many have actually been used toplace lubricating yoil under pressure for the purpose of lubricating machine bearings, accomplishing power steering and actuating brakes. In general, 25 however, such pumps of therprior art have been so designed and constructed as to be, incapabley of delivering fluid `under sufficiently high pressureV or, if the desired high pressures have been realized, have not had the ability to deliver an ap-A 30. proximately constant volume of fluid for all operative speeds thereof. Y Y

As will be appreciated, it is'particularly desirable in cases Where fluid pumps are mounted Y upon motor vehicles to take the power which must 35.V necessarily be utilized f or the operation of the pump directly from some engine driven element of the vehicle instead of operating the pumpV by means of a separate prime mover.` Naturally, in the case of a pump so driven, the speed of opera- 40. tion of the pump will vary directly with either the speed of revolution of the crank shaft of the vehicle engine, or with the linear speed of the vehicle, *unless some expensive and complicated speed control device is associated with the driving connection to the pump. In the case of la motor vehicle, the speed of which may vary with- I in wide limits, the ordinary and usual pump will deliver many'times the amount of iluid at high speeds than it will deliver at low speeds, thus 50. rendering it necessary to utilize in addition tothe pump some means for taking care of the excess quantity'of uid delivered thereby at all speeds in excess ofv a certain minimum speed. c

One object of the 4present invention is to pro- 55. Vide a pump which may be driven at widely vary- Application -February 4, 1936,7sera1N0. 62,339- 9 claims.Y (o1. 10a-162).

ing speeds, for instance, from a moving part of a motor vehicle, but which will, by reason of `its. nature and construction, deliver substantially thel same amount of fluid' under pressure at all drive ing speeds thereof, the automatic control of the, volume of fluidv delivered being effected byl at the pump itself and.V not resulting from the. employment ofl additional or accessory mecha-.. nisms of any kind. The pump contemplated *bythe present invention is furthermore of :the pis? ton type and by means ofA which high pressures.'y may be realized. The improved pump is further-'- more oneof extremesimplicity, having comparatively few operating parts, and is ofsmall size, being thereby readily applicable tomotor vehicles as well as being inexpensiverto manufacture-and install- While particularly suitable vas a means for plac-Y ing oil under pressure and for application toai.' motor vehicle, the pump hasthe capacityto deal with practically all kinds of fluids, especially liquids, and has many uses throughout the me-` chanical arts other than in connection with mo.-

tor vehicles.k While having the capacity to handle gases,'it is primarily intended for the purpose. of placing' liquids under high pressure and may be utilized to pump any liquid not injurious to the pump parts and not of such viscous natureas-to prevent its several operating elements. from of which are disposed at av slight angle, so thatV the ends of the p istons'carriedby one rotor corr-` tact with the ends of the pistons carried by kthe otherrotor, in order that the several pistonsmayf be successively driven upon their fluid ejection; strokes by mutual action alone, noadditional piston driving means being necessary. I V fr One embodiment of the invention is illustrated`F in the accompanying drawings, by way of exam-. ple, the pump shown being of therotary vtype just above mentioned. Y In the drawings: Y Figure 1 is a vertical section through the pump casing, one rotor'being shown in section and the other in elevation, the pump pistons being shown in the positions which they occupy, respectively, when the pump is operating at relatively low s eed;

I)Figure 2 is a similar section but showing the pistons in the positions which they occupy during operation of the pump at a considerably higher speed;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an end elevation of one of the rotors; and

Figure 6 is a section on line B-G of Figure 5,.

The pump housing or casing is indicated at I0 in the drawings and within this casing the operating parts of the pump are enclosed.Y The casing need have no particular shape Vand may, in fact, comprise merely a supporting frame, not liquid tight. Preferably, however, I use the means for'supportin'g' the operating 'parts of the pump also-as a liquid reservoir, as shown, and to prevent the escape of liquidv through splashi'ng, a top or closure cap II is provided which maybe secured to the main casing I0 by any suitablendevices of conventional type (not illustrated)whichtop or cap also rotatably supports by means of spaced bearings (not illustrated) the transversely extending driving shaft I2 by means of which driving power from without the casing is transmitted to the rotating pump parts positioned within the casing.

' The pump comprises essentially two rotatable members or rotors,vindicated at I3 and I4, re-

spectively, each generally cylindrical and each provided with an axial cylindrical aperture the wall of which engages with a close sliding fit the cylindrical outer wallrof a valve member, the valve members being indicated respectively at I5 and I6. The axes of the cylindrical valve members are equally inclined to the horizontal, such axes prolonged intersecting in aY vertical plane which includes the axis of the driving shaft I2, and the rotors, which will be simultaneously driven in the same direction from driving shaft I2 when'this last mentioned shaft revolves, due to the engagement of worm teeth I'I formed on the shaft with worm wheels I8 and I9 formed upon the rotors, will therefore revolve about axes so relatively inclined that those portions of the rotors adjacent shaft I2 will be in close proximity to each other while the portions of the rotors most remote from shaft I2 will be widely spaced. Each rotor, with its cylinders, cylinder ports and pistons, in combination with the associated valve member and iluid conduits, comprises a complete pumping unit rsave in oner respect," i. e., a-unit including these elements only has no means for driving the pistons upon their Vfluid ejecting strokes. By providing two such units, and arranging them in the manner shown in the drawings so that the pistons of each rotor act as driving means for the pistons of the opposite rotors, a pump of increased capacity Vand great simplicity is realized and the expense of manufacture and frictional loss is minimized. As the two pumping units are identical in construction, only one need be described in detail, and for the purpose of such detailed description, the unit including rotor I4 and valve member I6 will be selected.

Rotor I4 is, as shown, formed as a short hollow cylinder and has extending therethrough a pluralityof cylindrical apertures 20, the axes of these-apertures being parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor, equidistantly spaced from said axis, and equidistantly spaced from each other. There may be any desired number of such cylinders but I prefer to employ'such number as will insure a comparatively uniform flow of fluid from the pump outlet, rather than a pulsating flow. The larger the number of cylinders employed the more uniform will be the flow of the fluid from the pump, since the cylindersmust be more closely spaced as their number increases. I have found that a rotor employing ten cylinders, such as the rotor shown in the drawings, will give a substantially even flow of fluid for all operating speeds.

One end of each cylinder 20 is open and the v other end closed, the means for `closing and sealing the outer ends of all'ten cylinders of the rotor comprising an annular sealing plate 2| sethe rotor toward thatrend of the associated cylinder which is sealed by the sealing plate 2I. `It

Ugo"

is through these ports 22 that fluid may enter the cylinders successively, as., they pass a predetermined point, and the ports likewise permit the discharge of the fluid contents of the Ycylinders as they successively pass a point of discharge.

The valve member I6 is formed as a Vcylindrical block, the cylindrical outer surface of which makes a close sliding fit with the cylindrical inner wall of the rotor. One end of this block rests against a boss or abutment 23, preferably formed integral with the Wall ofthe casing, and the valve member is maintained in such position by means of the securing bolt 24 and the dowel pin 25, the bolt 24 holding the block closely against the boss 23 andthe dowel pin 25 preventing displacement of the valve member angularly about the axis of the securing bolt 24. Formed in one side of the valve member is a fluid supply port 26 and fin the opposite side of the valve member is formed a fluid receiving port 21, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The` fluid supply port is relatively restricted, measured circumferentially of the valve, as compared with the fluid receiving port 2l but the two ports have identical lengths, measured in directions parallel to the axis of the valve member, so that the inner ends of cylinder ports 28 fully register successively with the fluid supply andreceiving ports as the rotor revolves in the direction of the arrow X (Figure 4). I

The fluidY supply port 26 is in communication with the interior of the casing I0, a conduit 28, formed partly in the valve member I 6 and partly in the rib 29 cast integral with the side wall of the casing, being designed and intended to conly in the valve member I6 and partially in a rib` 3| formed integral with the side wall of the casing, a pipe 32 having threaded engagement With the inner wall of the conduit 30 at the outer end thereof, this pipe or tube being providedv to receive liquid under pressure from conduit 30 and conduct it to a point of utilization. Fluid 'of the oil in the casing I0 may be high orlow, but. is preferably below the rotors so as to avoid excessive churning of the fluid. Y

Slidably fitting within each cylinder is a hollow piston 35, each such pistonV having a reduced portion 36 projecting beyond the end` ofV the rotor I4 and the extreme end surface of the reV duced extension of each piston being rounded yas shown. Confined within each piston is a coiled compression spring 31, each such spring having one end bearing against a shoulder formed interiorly of the piston and its other end bearing against the sealing ring 2I. The several springs just described of course 'act independently and each normally urges the associated piston outwardly within the cylinder with which it is located. To limit the outward movements of the several pistons, retaining screws Y38 are employed, each of these screws having la head portionrwhich extends over the annular transverse shoulders of two adjacent pistons, as shown) in Figure 5, each piston having such a shoulder where the main portion thereof meets its reduced end Yp0rtion. Ordinarily, after the pump has been assembled, as shown in the drawings, the screws 38 are not called upon to restrain outward movements of the pistons, respectively,Y the screws being principally useful in retaining the pistons in place to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the pump.

As has been previously pointed out, the rotor I4 revolves about an axis which is disposed at a slight angle to the axis of rotor I3, although in the same plane, the prolonged axes of the rotors,

z and also theprolonged axes of the valve mem-` bers intersecting at a point midway between theV rotors. In the pump illustrated, the angle between rotor axes is 'l 1A? degrees, but this angle maybe enlarged or diminished. The rotors are also so arranged relatively to each other that the end of each piston projecting from rotor I4 will contact with the rounded end of a piston projecting from rotor I3, as shown in Figure 1. The corresponding ends of the pistons of opposed pairs of. pistons will maintain mutual engagement, at least while the pump is stationary or operating` at low speeds, as the rotors simultaneously revolve, although as is apparent, as any single pair of opposed pistons is carried upwardly by the simultaneous rotation of the rotors, from their lowermost to the uppermost positions, each piston will serve as a means for driving the other upon its fluid ejection stroke by reason of the fact that the cylinders, with which the pistons are associated, constantly approach each other as the upward movement occurs. After passing their uppermost positions, however, the reverse is true and the pistons are gradually projected from the cylinders within which they are respectively housed by the action of the springs associated therewith, until Teach such pair of opposed pistons reaches its lowermost position, after which movement of each piston into its cylinder is again commenced. By the simple arrangement shown the use of special means for driving the pistons `upon their uid ejecting strokesA is avoided and friction losses are'greatly reduced. Likewise no special meansfor securing each rotor upon its associated valve member z5, it will be perceived that each port 22 will, when need be provided since each rotor is acted upon' the rotor is revolved in the directionof thel arrow X, be in partial or complete register withA cylindrical surfaces of the valve member inter-H mediate these angles are, respectively, sealingV surfaces, the ports 22 being closed while passing over these surfaces both to the inflow and outow of fluid. As has previously been suggested,

the fluid supply port 26 is .relatively short, asv

compared with the fluid receiving port 21, measured circumferentially of the valve member. For any speedA of the rotor, therefore, the Vperiod of fluid intake into a cylinder is considerably less than the period of fluid exhaustfor discharge.

As each successive cylinder port comes into register with fluid supply port 26, the associated pisy ton advances under the influencerof its spring and the suction caused by the advancement Vof the piston draws fluid through the associated port" 22 and into the cylinder in rear of the piston,

`the Vfluid in port 26 beingunder atmospheric pressure. This piston Vmovement Vand fluid suction will continue until registration of the ports 22 and 26 is interrupted. The spring associated with each piston is capable of developing a sufficient expansive force to rapidly advance the associated piston while the cylinderV port 22 is in communication with the supply port 26 but has not sufficient strength to further advance the piston after communication between these ports has been cut off. In other Words, the advancing movement of each piston is instantly halted when the associated port 22passes out ofregister with the fluid supply port 26, thev piston spring being relatively weak and unable to produce apartial vacuum behind the piston upon which itY acts. When a pump is designed in connection for usev with motor vehicles, the circumferential length of the fluid supply port 26 and the expansive force which mayl be developed by each of the piston operating springs are carefully controlled and regulated with the end in view that, when the vehicle is proceeding at low speed, and hence the pump rotors are likewise revolving comparatively slowly, each successive cylinder port will be in register with the fluid supply port.

26 for a suicient length of time to permit full expansion of the spring, that is, the spring will advance its associated piston and maintain the piston end tightly pressed at all times against the end of the opposing piston of the opposite rotor. Under such conditions each pump unit willrdeliver a certain volume of fluid per unit of time and this volume of fluid per unit of time may be Y designated the normal output of the unit.

Assuming now the velocity of angular movement of the rotor to be doubled, each successive cylinder port will register with the fluid supply port for only one half as long a time as it did previously. During thisshorter time of registration of course the associated piston spring will serve to advance its piston but the advancement of the piston will continue only for half as long a time as in the first instance described, so that, as each cylinder passes outrof communication with the uid supply port, it will only be half filled with fluid and, upon the ejection stroke of the piston, only half as much fluid will be delivered therefrom as when the rotor was revolving athalf the speed. If the speed'of rotation of the rotor is further increased the period of communication of each cylinder port with the sol fluid'supply port 26 Will be proportionately decreased, each piston willY be advanced a proportionately less distance uponV its suction stroke, and the total iluid volume delivered bythe pump per unit of time will remain approximately theY same. Thus, the unit will deliver substantially constant volumes of fluid for all of its working speeds and its action is automatic, there being no manual regulation necessary and no auxiliary devices of any nature being required.

Naturally, in designing the pump, not only is it necessary to carefully balance the strengths of the piston springs against the lengths of the fluid supply ports, but it is also necessary to consider the masses of the pistons and the specific gravities and viscosities of the fluids which are to be pumped.V Thus, a very viscous iluid will flow more slowly than a less viscous fluid and will require either that thefluid supply port be circumferentially Vlengthened in order that the cylinders may be filled at low speeds,'or that stronger piston advancing springs shall be utilized. Likewise it may be desirable to lighten the pistons where heavy viscous liquids are to--be Ypumped and to increase the weights'of the pistons for` very light v bers relatively to each other, a piston in said cylliquids. l y Y A pump constructed as shown'in the drawings will work with entire satisfaction in pumping oils such as Vare commonly used as motor vehicle lubricating oilsV and, Where other fluids are to be pumped, slight experimentation with the factors just above enumerated Will result in the accurate design of a pump having the capacity to deliver substantially constant volumes of that liquid per unit of time for all working speeds thereof.

Naturally, when the pump Vis operating at relativelyl high speed, that is, atspeeds higher than that at which full 'cylinder charges are realized, the adjacent ends of corresponding pistons will not contact throughout theirentire orbits in the maner illustrated in Figure l but will come into mutual engagement only as they approach their uppermost positions. The higher the speed, the less Will'be of course the angle through which the pistons will move when in contact with each other and the lower the speed the longer the periods of contact between the adjacent ends of corresponding pistons, there being full piston contact only at the lower speeds. Y Numerous changes in the design and arrangement oi the component elements of the pump may be made, as Vcircumstances require, without departure from the invention. Y

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a pump, in combination, a cylinder having a port for the introduction of fluid thereinto and discharge yof fluid therefrom, a valve member having spaced fluid supply and fluid escape, non-communicating ports and sealing surfaces intermediate said ports, means for conducting uidunder appr-cximateiy atmospheric' pressure to said supply port, means for relatively moving said cylinderv and valve member at different relative speeds, whereby the mouth of the cylinder port is brought alternately into register with said ports .and sealing surfaces of the valve member, the durations of such registrations varying inversely with the relative speeds of the valve member and cylinder, a piston inrsaid cylinder, means for acting upon the piston when the cylinder port is in register with the fluid escape port ofthe valve member to positively drive the piston in fluid ejecting direction, and yielding means normally urging the pistonin the opposite directionv when the cylinder port is in register with the fluid supply port of the valve member, thereby drawingY fluid into the cylinder, said yielding means being so constructed asV to develop for any particular liquid, a substantially constant rate ofpiston movement and being -of insufficient strength to cause rcavitation behind the piston' `2. In a rotary fluid pump, in combination, rela-v tively revoluble valve and cylinder members, the

Vvalve member having a fluid supply port and the cylinder member having a port-,leading to the cylinder, said ports being in register throughout a predetermined angle of rotation of said meminder, means for driving the piston in one direction to cause it to eject fluid from said cylinder, yielding means for urging the piston in the opposite direction to cause it to draw liquid into the cylinder when said ports are in register, said last mentioned means being effective to advance the piston at a substantially xed rate when said ports are in register, mechanism for relatively rotating said members at different angular ve-V locities and thereby to increase or decrease the periods of port registration, whereby the quantity of fluid drawn into 4and ejected from the cylinder for each operation of the Vpiston may be increased or decreased the rate of piston advance under the action of said yielding means and the angle of register of said ports being so co-related that the delivery of said pump is substantially such piston on its suction stroke, which means isV only effective t advance the piston at a denite rate when the cylinder port is in register with the fluid supply port, means for positively driving each piston to its limit in the opposite direction when the port of the associated cylinder is in register with the fluid escape port, means for effecting relative rotation of said members at different angular velocities, the amount of liquid delivered by each cylinder decreasing with in- Y crease in relative angular velocity of said members and increasing With decrease of relative velocity of said members, the rate of piston advance under theaction of said yielding means and the angle of register of said inlet port and cylinder ports being so co-related that the rate of liquid delivery by the pump remains substantially unchanged for all relative angular velocities of the members. -4. A multi-cylinder fluid pump comprising two rotors positioned closely adjacent one another Valve controlled means for leading uid to and from said cylinders respectively.

5. A fluid pump comprising two cylinders, pistons slidable in said cylindersrand having portions projecting from the ends thereof, and means for supporting the cylinders for revolution about fixed angularly disposed intersecting axes Whereby the projecting portions of the pistons may be caused to intermittently contact, and means for revolving said cylinders. y

6. A fluid pump comprising rotors mounted for rotatory movement about angularly disposed axes, cylinders formed in said rotors, the axis of each cylinder being parallel to the axis of the rotor in A which it is formed, pistons slidable in said cylinders and normally projecting therefrom, and means for rotating said rotors in synchronism, the projecting piston ends contacting While said rotors are rotating through certain angles of travel and each piston acting upon Vthe other to drive the same.

7. A fluid pump comprising rotors revoluble about axes which, when prolonged, intersect mid-Y way therebetween, a plurality of cylinders formed'V in each rotor, the .aXes of the cylinders in each rotor being parallel to the axis of rotation thereof, and the axis of each cylinder of one'rotor intersecting the axis of a cylinder in the other rotor,

`When prolonged, p istons in said cylinders, respectively, and a spring associated with each piston and normally urging the same into contact with the corresponding piston in the other rotor.

8. A iluid pump comprising two cylinders relatively movable with their axes always parallel to intersecting lines, pistons in said cylinders, a spring for urging each piston axially of the associated cylinder in one direction, and means for actuating the cylinders to` periodically bring the pistons into Contact With each other so that each piston drives the other against the action of said spring.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 in which means is provided for regulating'thetravel of the pistons under the influence of the springs.

BERT A. LINDERMAN. 

